Evaluation of relationship between salivary cortisol levels and stress intensity in oral lichen planus patients

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory disease. Ulcerative types of OLP are symptomatic and are considered premalignant lesions. The etiology of OLP is unknown and there is controversy over the role of stress as an etiologic factor of OLP. This study investigated the salivary cortisol level and stress intensity in a sample of Iranian OLP patients. Saliva samples were taken from 30 OLP patients and 30 healthy individuals referring to the university clinic in Tabriz (northwest of Iran). Salivary cortisol levels were measured using ELISA method. Stress levels in subjects were determined using a stress-inducing events questionnaire based on Holms and Rahe’s stress scale. Mean levels of salivary cortisol in OLP patients and healthy individuals were 14.05 and 5.8, respectively, revealing a statistically significant difference (P=0.003). Mean levels of stress in OLP patients and healthy individuals were 54.082 and 34.7656, respectively, demonstrating a statistically significant difference (P=0.038). The increase in salivary cortisol level was marked in OLP patients, which might indicate a relationship between stress intensity and OLP.